Moonlit Cacophony

Melissa jumped as someone knocked on the door. She gently placed the violin in its velvet lined case and walked over to the door. She opened it slowly, looking up to see Lazarus staring down at her. Her bloody tears still stained on her face. "Why did you go?" He muttered. Melissa beckoned him in, taking a seat on the worn couch he looked around her dark apartment. She took a seat on the table opposite him, placing a hand on the maple violin case.

"I, I shouldn't have been there. I'm sorry." She muttered, trying to wipe the blood from her face.

"Why not? Did I upset you somehow? I know I'm a bad host but... I'm not that bad surely" He laughed weakly, Melissa looked up, smiling.

"No, no you didn't. I shouldn't have asked. I obviously upset you." She looked down at the floor. A cold wind blew in through the window and she moved toward it, she allowed the breeze to blow for a bit before closing it whilst continuing to stare out of it to the dark street below.

"It's fine, I'm just... pathetic. Still upset by someone that died over four hundred years ago. I should have gotten over it by now."

Alice shook her head solemnly and turned to face him. "No. You never get over something like that. You are not pathetic."

"Melissa, I am a degenerate and a general failure at life, of course I'm pathetic." He looked away from Melissa's face to the floor, his face turned to one of shear disgust.

Melissa walked over to him and sat back down on the table, lifting his face with her cold hand, "No, Lazarus you're not. You lost someone dear to you. No one can replace them. No one has been there for you, you still have life yet."

Lazarus shuffled uncomfortably and attempted to change the subject. "What happened to you? Covered in blood. Been out for a snack?"

She looked at her violin case. "No." The rested a hand upon it. "I...I've been remembering."

He glanced over to the violin case, then back at Melissa's face. "Remembering? Sorry. I shouldn't pry."

He smiled, "yeah, sounds like you have been practicing as long as I have."

She smiled back, "yeah. I was never good at piano. I could play you something if you like. Pay you back for your hospitality." She opened the dusty case, taking the perfectly carved violin out of it's red velvet case.

"I'd like to hear you play without a wall between us, thanks. You compose to?"

Melissa just nodded, "It's not very good though." She graced the bow along the strings and closed her eyes as she began to play. The notes began to dance behind her closed eyes.

"You need more faith in your work, It's brilliant!"

She smiled weakly, "thank you. I haven't played it in a while." Another tear formed, running down her cheek in the same pattern as the rest did.

Lazarus bit his lip, wiping the tear away. "Written for someone, by any chance?" He smiled weakly.

"My mother. She...she passed away a few years ago." She placed the violin back in it's case. "I'm sorry, look at me." She smiled, wiping another stray tear.

He got up and wrapped his arms around her in the same comforting hug as earlier, "I'm sorry to hear it, you look fine."

"How can you say that?" She laughed slightly, "I'm a mess."

"Stop being so modest. You know you look amazing." He rolled his eyes, but Melissa couldn't see.

"Yeah! Only because I'm a.. a Vampire!" She growled, breaking the embrace between them. Though somewhere in her heart she longed to re-make it.

The silence between them grew "I'm sure you were beautiful as a human to." He muttered.

"Yeah! Because looks mean everything!" She sobbed, memories flooded back of all the men that wanted her, for her looks alone. She got up and walked toward the window.

"That's not what I meant." His voice was calm and slightly reassuring.

"Then what did you mean?" She cried, trying not to let tears fall again.

"I was trying to be nice... Sorry, I have no idea how I'm supposed to comfort a crying vampire! Not only am I a guy, I'm a... ugh'" He got up, but was unsure whether to leave or comfort her.

"Just go, please." She mumbled, not turning round from the window.

Lazarus walked toward the door, opened it then stopped. "Sorry." He mumbled, then closed the door behind him. Melissa walked into the bathroom and turned on the tap. It spurted muddy water into the sink before the fresh water washed it away. She splashed her face with the water, looking at her reflection in the steamy glass. "Looks." She muttered, punching the mirror, glass shards sticking into her hand.

She walked into her living room and collapsed into the chair, then began to take the shards out of her hand. Allowing it to heal. "Looks, what are they... really?"

Author guidance

I do hope you enjoy this story as much as we have enjoyed writing it. This story, as i'm sure Stella would agree, has been one of the greatest stories we have written. Indeed. It has been rather great to finally write a story to which you don't cringe when you re-read your chapters.To reiterate I do hope you enjoy this...

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